LG unveils WCP-300, the "world's smallest wireless charger" at MWC

After showcasing its Optimus series of smartphones, LG has now unveiled the WCP-300 wireless charger that also happens to be the "world's smallest" in the industry. South Korea will see the hardware arrive this week with a 65,000 won (roughly $60) price tag, but the charger is scheduled for a worldwide roll out soon with US being one of the countries on the list.

Measuring 6.98cm in diameter, LG claims that the charger is so designed keeping in mind the portability factor. Also, though it it is small in size, the company promises that the charging area is 1.7 times wider than that of LG's previous generation wireless charger. The new model is compatible with a standard 5-pin micro-USB charger.

The company's official press release mentioned, "The WCP-300 uses the electromagnetic induction technology and is Qi certified by the Wireless Power Consortium. Electromagnetic induction produces a magnetic field that in turn generates an electric current to charge the batteries in devices placed on the charging pad. Certification ensures that the WCP-300 is compatible with all smartphones that support the Qi standard."

Both the LG Spectrum 2 and Nexus 4 come with built-in support for wireless charging right out of the box, eliminating the need to purchase separate covers unlike the recent Nokia Lumia 920 and 820 devices. The WCP-300 is also expected to support the Optimus G Pro, Vu II and LTE II smartphones among others.

LG believes that built-in support for upcoming smartphones will be the most critical development in making wireless charging the industry standard going forward. Sharing his views on this compact hardware, Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company said, "Wireless charging is the holy grail of smartphone user convenience. With the WCP-300, LG was able to deliver both portability with top-class charging capabilities in a device no larger than a typical beverage coaster."

The Korean manufacturer isn't the only one to think so. Samsung's upcoming flagship device, the Galaxy S IV is also likely to feature wireless charging support. That said, it will not come integrated with wireless charging compatibility. The company plans to sell a separate dock and a back cover with wireless charging capabilities for the device. The wireless charging kit is expected to be made available a couple of weeks later after the Galaxy S IV goes on sale.

Samsung earlier planned on using an alternate technology based on resonant magnetic coupling that is different from the electromagnetic induction found in the current wireless chargers. This would have allowed the Galaxy S IV to be charged from a distance of up to 2 meters.

In comparison, other smartphones that have wireless charging support right now require to be placed at a distance of no more than 4cm away from a charging pad. But the company feels that it would be to expensive in the market and hence has ultimately decided to stick with the more standard wireless charging method.